Automatic closure for outlets of dispensing containers



. 31, 1935. ANDERSON 2,026,012 AUTOMATIC CLOSURE'FOR OUTLETS OFDISPENSING CONTAINERS Original Filed March 27, 1953 6; B. Jnde r80 1;

INVENTOR.

X) f r.

TORNEY.

Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED ST r a s AUTOMATIC CLOSURE FOR OUTLETS OFDISPENSING CONTAINERS Original application March 662,933. Divided andthis 22, 1934, Serial No. 740,994

2 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible containers or other containers fordispensing fluid or semifiuid material, and specifically, to automaticclosures for outlets of dispensing receptacles, and is a division of mypending application No. 662,933, filed March 27, 1933 (matured intoPatent No. 1,973,459, issued Sept. 11, 1934) with a modification added.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved and exceedinglypractical outlet closure which automatically opens under pressure of thematerial being dispensed, and which automatically closes when thepressure is discontinued or interrupted.

Another object is to provide the outlet end with a dispensing orificewhose margin is substantially as thin as a knife-edge, so there is amere line or minimum surface in contact with the closure, therebyavoiding the cementing of the closure to the outlet end and theconsequent resistance to the egress of the material in case suchmaterial is of a glutinous character; also thereby avoiding theformation of hard crusts or scales of the material at the outside of thedispensing orifice; hence, avoiding the waste and inconvenience causedby such cementing, and by such hardened parts of the material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kindthat is applicable to the outlet ends of containers, either within thenecks, or outside the necks, whether the necks are screw-threaded ornot, and preferably united with an originally separate head or capsecured to the dispensing neck by screw-threads or by other appropriatemeans.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind that consists of avery few parts which are very simple and easily formed, assembled andapplied and which are made of materials that are not detrimentallyaffected by materials that are or may be placed in the containers forbeing dispensed therefrom.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in thefollowing details of description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of one form of the invention appliedon a fragment of a receptacle which may here be considered as acollapsible dispensing tube, the closure being in its normal closedposition.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the closure depressed toits dispensing or open position, and a portion of the material beingdispensed therefrom.

27, 1933, Serial No. application August Fig. 3 is a top plan view of aholder or closure seat such as are used in this form of the invention,Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l, but disclosing a modified form ofthe invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, inwhich, similar reference numeralsrefer to similar parts in the several views, the invention is describedin detail as follows:

The receptacle or dispensing tube 5 may have the cap or dispensing head6 secured thereon by screw-threads or by other appropriate means, andmay be provided with a tongue or spreader l, and above the securingmeans, this cap is provided with a hollow, preferably cylindrical, space5 in which is held the seat or support 9 (Fig. 3) whose cylindricalouter surface may fit tightly against the wall of the cavity or space 8.The member 9 includes a bridge H, and centrally located thereon is a cupl2 that constitutes part of an air-chamber which is an important featureof this invention.

The valve or closure preferably consists of a hard conical part l3 and asoft resilient part It, the latter being preferably of rubber or thelike and having a deeply concaved under side formed with a circularmargin that fits against the bottom and wall of the cup I! so as tocombine with the latter in forming the air-pocket or airchamber abovementioned, shown at It. The dispensing orifice of the cap is shown atUS, and the conical valve element normally projects therethrough, and isthere heldby the resiliency of the element It. At I! it is seen that themargin of the dispensing orifice is so thin, sharp and acute that theword knife-edge applies thereto, especially in view of the fact that thecap is of relatively hard material which is die-cast into the shapeshown; so the parts I l and I3 are normally in edge-to-surface contact,and consequently the material to be dispensed will not cause adhesion toprevent the closure from being operated, even if such material isglutenous or viscous.

Inasmuch as the principles and operation of both these forms of theinvention are the same, they will now be explained as follows:

In operating the device to dispense a liquid, as mucilage, for instance,the device may be inverted and lowered onto the paper or thing ontowhich the mucilage is to be spread, and as the protruding apex of theclosure is pressed inward by its contact with such paper or thing, theorifice i5 is thereby opened so a portion of the mucilage will flow outand canbe spread by the tongue 1; but if the material is too viscous orplastic to flow, a pressure must be applied, as by squeezing thecollapsible tube; such pressure, being exerted in all directions, hencedownward on the closure Iii-i4, compresses the resilient lower partthereof, thereby also compressing air in the air-pocket l6, whileyielding to permit material to pass thereby through the dispensingorifice l5. When pressure is released, the resilient part l4 and the aircompressed thereby (in the pocket I6) force the part l3 to its normalclosing position; and the closing is more quickly and completelyefiected byv the knife-edge margin of the orifice cutting through thematerial at the orifice.

In the modified form, the cap 6a is formed with an annular abutment 811immediately over the internal threads that receive the neck oi thereceptacle or tube 5; and within this cap is fitted the closure supportSo, whose margin eliminates the part I!) and fits between the abutment8a and the neck of the receptacle or tube 5, the latter holding itsecurely in place. The cup in is inverted, and thereon is seated aresilient rubber (or the like) concavo-convex member lea whose concaveunder side combines with the part iEa to form the air-pocket 15a. Theclosure I3a may be die-cast from any suitable relatively hard material,and has a hollow cylindrical part I317 that encloses the member lct andthe upper part of the inverted cup I2a, having a close buteasily-sliding fit up and down on the latter. In this form of theinvention, there is also an annular air-pocket between the parts |3a andMa which contributes to the resilience of the closure l3a-l4a. The parts5 and to, combine to constitute a unitary container, although here shownseparable, and the same is true of the parts 5 and 6.

While describing these forms of the invention specifically, I have nointention to limit my patent protection to these specific details, forthe invention, though simple, is susceptible of numerous changes withinthe scope of the inventive ideas herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a dispensing device, the combination of a container having anon-collapsible hollow end formed with a dispensing orifice, aclosure-support in said non-collapsible hollow end, and a substantiallyconical closure having a resilient concave base seated on and combinedwith the closure-support to form a substantially air-tight pocket inwhich air and a part of the closure can be compressed, said closurebeing normally held by its resiliency against the margin of saiddispensing orifice for closing the latter and being properly formed andarranged to be depressed away from said orifice by pressure of fluid orsemi-fluid thereon within said hollow non-collapsible end of thecontainer, whereby the re-' siliency of the closure and of air in saidpocket forces the closure to the position for closing said dispensingorifice when pressure of the fluid or semi-fluid is relieved.

2. In a dispensing device, the combination of a container having ahollow end formed with a dispensing orifice, a closure-support in saidhollow end, and a closure having a resilient part formed with aconcavity and seated on said closure support in proper relation tocombine with the latter in forming an air-pocket which is substantiallyair-tight, whereby the resiliency of the closure and of air in saidair-pocket presses the closure to the position for closing saiddispensing orifice, said dispensing orifice having a margin which issubstantially as thin and acute as a knife-edge which is normally inline-to-surface contact with said closure, so that a minimum of adhesionis obtained between the closure and margin of the dispensing orificewhen adhesive or viscous materials are held in the receptacle.

GUY B. ANDERSON.

